Want to Advocate? Write and Publish Your Opinion Piece

One of the most powerful ways to make your voice heard in today’s noisy culture? Get published on a platform with a vast audience. 

You can start with a letter to the editor, but those aren’t as widely read as opinion pieces. The secret is to know and understand exactly how to gain the right editor’s attention for your very good idea. 

It can be a big task, and take some practice, but I believe anyone can get their work published with the right idea and tactics. You may have an especially good shot if you start somewhere local and smaller.

Before starting to publish my work several years ago, I didn’t think it was possible to publish on a big scale. Now that I’ve been on the writing circuit for a number of years, I want to encourage those who want to write to give it a shot. 

Far larger than your personal social media following, publishing an op/ed gives you credibility and the ability to reach an audience you never would have otherwise. It can get people buzzing about an issue you care about and that can really matter when you are hoping to make a difference. 

The most important part of this process is how you pitch the article to an editor. The pitch is the email you send to an editor with your idea. But it’s not just any email — it has to be done in a bit of a structured way to ensure you get their attention.

A few small tips to get you started:

Find the right editor.

Make sure you seek out the correct section editor of the place you want to write.

Ensure your idea is timely.

How does it relate to trending news?

Have the authority to write it.

How are you personally connected or an expert on the subject matter?

Retain solid evidence to back up your argument.

Statistics and examples are necessary.

Subject lines matter.

When pitching, I recommend a subject line that states “PITCH” or “Freelance Pitch” at the start and then a brief, catchy sentence with your idea.

If you have a dream of making a difference with your writing, opinion pieces are a fantastic way to start doing that. I want others to know they can speak up and advocate for the issues they care about most as well. 

With the things I’ve learned, I’ve been able to publish in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, the Washington Post, the New York Post, Christianity Today and many more. Can you imagine yourself writing about the things you care about most? I hope you’ll consider giving it a go. 

I’ve got a fun Instagram account, @PitchAndPublish, if you are interested in learning more about it. I’d love to hear from you, where you’d like to publish and answer questions about how to make it happen.